Winter RV Living Below Zero in Yellowstone
I made it to Yellowstone. This was the whole destination of the road trip, and I'm parked in Gardiner, Montana, in the middle of winter, in a camper.
It hit -5°F. A lot of my gear in the back of the Jeep froze solid. Here's what winter in Yellowstone is actually like, what's open, and what I'd tell you before you try it.
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What's actually open in Yellowstone in winter
This is the thing to understand before you plan anything.
Only one road in Yellowstone stays open year-round. It runs from Gardiner, Montana, through the north of the park to Cooke City, Montana. That's it, unless you take a snow coach in.
You cannot continue past Cooke City in winter, because Beartooth Pass is closed. To get out you loop all the way around to Livingston from Gardiner.
So it's a genuinely limited experience. Drive in, hit the road closed sign, turn left. That's the park in winter.
That limitation is also part of the appeal. There is almost nobody there.
Gardiner, Montana in winter
Small town, and dramatically smaller in the off season. That's your base if you're coming in from the north.
Cooke City, Montana
The other end of the open road, and worth the drive. Snow on all the trees, genuinely beautiful, not a lot going on. Gas was almost $4 a gallon when I filled up. I stopped at Wucka's Wild Eats for lunch, which was insanely greasy and exactly what I wanted.
The cold is the whole story
-5°F is a different category of cold than "cold."
Things freeze that you didn't plan on. A lot of what I had in the back of the Jeep froze
You can't clean anything. My car was a disaster and cleaning it in negative temperatures simply isn't happening. I kept telling myself I'd sort it out once I got south
Hot hands are essential. If you're a photographer, or you're just going to be standing outside in this for hours, get them. Crack one and throw it in your shoe
You forget to eat and drink. I do this constantly when I'm out filming. Bring something you can grab without thinking
Short days change your whole plan
By 1:30 in the afternoon I only had a few hours until sundown. That's the real downside of Yellowstone in winter. You can never get enough of it, because the daylight budget is tiny.
Plan for two usable blocks: early morning and early afternoon. That's the day.
Wildlife
Lamar Valley is usually the most promising area in the park for wildlife, and it's the place to point yourself. I got there mid-day, which is the wrong time, so my odds were low.
The highlight anyway: I got completely surrounded by a herd of bison. I thought there was one, and then about 20 more came out.
There was also a crowd stopped on the road at one point, everyone scanning for what might have been wolves, very far out. I went and asked around, partly for the intel and partly because it was about time I talked to another human. Nobody could see anything.
A new bridge in the park had opened the week before, so I was among the first people to cross it, which was a small thrill.
Getting out, and where trailers can't go
Winter routing with a trailer is its own problem.
I was deciding between Grand Teton and Denver next, two completely different trips. I'd never seen Grand Teton in winter and wanted to.
The catch: Teton Pass has restrictions on campers and trailers, and the road into Jackson gets closed to trailers in winter because conditions get so bad. If it's active, you're taking a much longer and more difficult route. Check road conditions the night before, every night.
Two honest annoyances
Someone stole the windshield cover off my camper at the campground. I need that for transit. I asked everyone around and nobody knew anything, so I had to makeshift a replacement. Lesson learned.
I didn't love that campground. Yellowstone itself was a treat, as always. The campground was not.
Cooking, briefly
I'm not going to be one of those camping channels that cooks beautifully. I don't especially enjoy cooking. I'm a survival cooker.
That night it was ground beef, cheese, frozen broccoli, and pasta, combined with cautious optimism. It came out better than expected.
FAQ
Can you visit Yellowstone in winter?
Yes, but only the road from Gardiner to Cooke City stays open year-round. Everything else requires a snow coach.
Can you take an RV or trailer into Yellowstone in winter?
You can base near the north entrance in Gardiner and drive the open road. Be careful routing in and out, since passes like Beartooth close and roads such as the one into Jackson restrict trailers.
How cold does it get?
I hit -5°F. Expect things to freeze that you didn't think would.
Where should I look for wildlife?
Lamar Valley, and go early rather than mid-day. I still got surrounded by bison, so it isn't hard to find something.
Is it worth going in winter?
If you want Yellowstone with almost nobody in it, yes. If you want the whole park accessible, go in summer.
Final thoughts
Yellowstone is one of my favorite places on earth and it pulls me back every time. Winter is a smaller version of it, and a colder one, and I'd still do it again.
Next stop is Grand Teton. I'll see you out there on the road.
Related:
Gear in this video
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